Car wash systems generally include drying stations which utilize flexible inflatable bags for removing fluid from the vehicle's surface to dry the vehicle. It has become desirable to eliminate contact with the vehicle by providing a proximity sensor to sense the location of the vehicle with respect to the nozzle and maintain a predetermined distance therebetween.
Automotive car drying systems have utilized ultrasonic sensors to sense the distance to the vehicle from the dryer system. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,369, issued Feb. 9, 1993, in the name of McElroy et al, assigned to the assignee of the subject invention. Such a system utilizes ultrasonic sensors located on the bag nozzle for sensing the distance to the vehicle. The sensor transmits information to a control circuit which controls via a motor the movement of the air bags. The subject invention provides improvement of the patented system.